Technobubble is a regular feature by Jason Hidalgo that covers games, gadgets and technology. Follow him on Twitter @jasonhidalgo

Like the monstrous creatures in its title, there's no denying that "Attack on Titan" is big in Japan.

Thanks to a popular manga with a compelling story and a kinetic, nicely fleshed-out anime that ironed out the kinks of the manga's rough art style to make it more palatable to a lot of folks, Attack on Titan has turned into a juggernaut complete with the requisite merchandise tie-ins and a live action movie in the works. Hey, when you've got other shows parodying you with references like "Attack on Uncle" (I'm looking at you "Denki-Gai no Honya San"), then you know you've made it big.

It's no surprise then, that the franchise got its own video game in "Attack on Titan: Humanity in Chains." The fact that the game even got a Western localization to boot indicates just how much Attack on Titan mania has spread outside Japan's borders. Add developer Spike Chunsoft, which has worked on solid titles such as "Fossil Fighters: Frontier" and the excellent "Danganronpa" and "Danganronpa 2" games and you've got a title that appears to be more than your typical cash grab based on an anime license.

The game starts out promisingly enough. In going through the introductory stages, I was pleasantly surprised by how well the game captures the frenetic action of the Scout Regiment's awesome weapon known as the omni-directional mobility gear. A marriage of compressed gas, grappling hooks and a pair of swords, the mobility gear and blade combo allows puny humans to fight on par with the powerful titans that oppress the remnants of human society. The sense of speed from using the device had me nodding positively at first as I propelled myself from rooftop to rooftop like a speed demon. Throw in a bunch of titans to take down and I had a stupid smile plastered on my face as I surgically targeted the giants' various body parts, specially focusing on their nape area.

Using the mobility gear to attack plays like a mini-game of sorts where you eventually trigger a quick-time action that requires perfect timing to land a critical attack. In addition to criticals, you can also add some extra English to your attack by making your character spin, which shrinks your timing window but provides some more oomph to your blade attack. Once you've mastered the peculiarities of the combat system, you can have missions where you take out titan after titan without ever landing on the ground. The game also uses a team mechanic where allies can aid you when you get in a pinch and get grabbed by a hungry titan.

The campaign, meanwhile, has you experiencing the storyline through the eyes of various characters. Play long enough and you will unlock the multiplayer component of the game known as World Mode, allowing you to create a character of your own character while also throwing in some RPG-style mechanics.

Although the game has some promising elements, however, it also has its fair share of downsides. While it does a good job in portraying the scale and scope of the series' giants, the environs can be a bit bland. The action, meanwhile, while exciting at first can get repetitive after the sense of newness from its fast-paced attacks wears off, especially if you're not a fan of QTEs.

Shoot across rooftops and walk on walls while battling gigantic foes in "Attack on Titan: Humanity in Chains," for the Nintendo 3DS.(Photo: Atlus)

The game's perspective can also make it hard to precisely see where Titan attacks are coming from, something that can be compounded by the in-game camera's tendency to get wonky sometimes. The biggest gripe I have about the game, however, is the inconsistent mission design. In contrast to the more exciting titan hunts, for example, you also have to do some puzzling endeavors that require you to do stuff like search for items on the ground. Given all the potential gameplay elements that could be added, such missions just feel like lazy filler and interrupt your immersion in Attack on Titan's world.

Ultimately, Humanity in Chains is a game with nice potential that's eventually betrayed by some uninspired mission design and stilted pacing. Fans of the series might be able to overlook the game's faults and find enjoyment in it, especially given the fun that can be had with its fast-paced action sequences. Just note that this won't be everybody's giant cup of tea.